Manchester United icon Paul Scholes reckons the experience of Casemiro and Raphael Varane are crucial for the Red Devils’ top-four hopes.
Erik ten Hag and Co. picked up their third Premier League win in a row, defeating Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park on Sunday, February 11. Rasmus Hojlund (17′) and Scott McTominay (86′) netted one goal apiece for Manchester United, while Douglas Luiz (67′) scored for the Villans.
Casemiro and Varane played the entire 90 minutes and were instrumental in Manchester United picking up all three points. The Brazilian star won 13 duels, made seven recoveries, three clearances, and created one big chance. Varane also defended well, winning six duels and making seven clearances.
Scholes reckons the duo make a big difference in the starting XI when paired with younger stars. He said (via United in Focus):
“I’ve felt in the last two or three weeks that with all the players back they’ve got a chance of top four and I think they will get into it because they’ve got that a bit of experience coming back into the team.”
He added:
“They’ve got a lot of young players, but when you’ve got a Casemiro and a Varane next to them, it makes a big difference to your team, a little bit of quality. And sometimes it doesn’t matter how they play, sometimes it’s just about having their names around. People look at them and go, ‘Oh they’ve got a proper team.’”
Manchester United have missed the services of Casemiro and Varane for the most part so far this season. They have only made 16 and 22 appearances across all competitions respectively, with the former suffering a serious hamstring injury in October.
However, the Real Madrid legends have what it takes to transform the Red Devils into a formidable outfit when available. United are sixth in the Premier League standings, six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
“Looks a bit more solid” – Roy Keane praises struggling Manchester United star after Aston Villa win
Manchester United legend Roy Keane has praised Andre Onana after he put in a stellar performance in their 2-1 win against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Onana has struggled to justify his reported summer price tag of £47 million, making several high-profile errors this season. However, he was on the top of his game against the Villans, making eight saves, including two world-class ones to deny Ollie Watkins. He also looked commanding in the box, making 13 recoveries and acting as a sweeper four times.
Keane told Sky Sports (as per United in Focus):
“The goalkeeper looks a bit more solid. So the signs for United are a bit better than they were a month ago.”
Onana has kept 10 clean sheets in 33 appearances across all competitions this season.
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